| Todays 110 mile journey to Ilkeston almost reminded us what it was like to be in the Premier Division of the Doc Martens League. The 3-0 victory has done our ambitions of reaching that level of the pyramid no harm at all! |
| Relegated at the end of last season, 'Ilson' were always going to be a tough nut to crack and having already dispensed of previous boss Charlie Bishop following an uncertain start to the campaign, things were now starting to pick up as City looked to bounce back from last weeks FA Trophy disappointment at Bath. New boss Phil Stant, a Football League journeyman striker has begun to turn things around and last weeks impressive 4-2 win at Mangotsfield sounded the death knell for the Bristol club's management duo. |
| With the City team virtually picking itself due to injury, some fans may have been forgiven for carrying on up the A610 and spending the afternoon at either the massive IKEA store or indeed the American Adventure theme park. However, those that did make it to New Manor Park were treated to a surprisingly easy 3-0 success for the Tigers. |
| The ground has changed somewhat since my last visit to the town slotted between Derby and Nottingham (and next to a railway line which made more noise than the home fans). Last time it was a pretty staple 'new' ground, where a piggy back would give you a higher vantage point then any of the hard standing. However, their previous chairman invested in a new stand in the far corner that encompasses a banqueting suite and a characteristic clock tower. The stand alone means it qualifies for 'superior' facilities on the DannyWestograph, the DML ground grading guide. |
| To show that the Robins mean't buisness, former Mansfield Town defender Danny Hollyoak headed against the crossbar as an early Ilkeston corner wasn't dealt with properly. City's response also came from a corner kick as Andy Hoskins could only get underneath the ball and head it wide. |
| The home side continued to press and made Matt Bath save well at his near post, a welcome sign for the City fans after his recent dip in form. Being penned back, although not under too much duress the Tigers had to rely on counter attacks and set pieces for any kind of attack. However, the final ball wasn't up to much and it told as Neil Griffiths tried to turn and shoot from the edge of the penalty area to no avail. |
Ilkeston continued to probe and were rewarded with a dubious free kick just outside of the box, the kick from John Burns was easily pushed away by Bath, much to the displeasure of the home fans. City continued to counter and midway through the first half Lee Smith found room to cross and by luck or by judgement it dropped inside the far post to give the Tigers the lead.
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| With their tails up, the Tigers pressed forward again from the kick off and won a corner. Hemming sent the ball in towards the near post where, with only Dave Wilkinson in attendance, the defender failed to clear and Wilko prodded the ball home for his sixth goal in seven games. This was followed by a fight between the Ilson defender and goalkeeper. Hilarious! |
| With the home team at sixes and sevens Jimmy Cox was sent clear and shot wide of the advancing goalkeeper (and the goal) with a chance that could've ended the game when it was only a third old. It was all City now and a corner fell nicely for Adam Hemming to send a rasping shot just wide. That was followed by another run and shot from Cox, this time wide of the near post. |
| At half time, 2-0 up, Ilkeston were shell shocked and City were laughing. |
| Phil Stant tried to shake his team up with a double substitution at the beginning of the second forty-five minutes. Hurrell and Lyons were replaced by O'Connor and Eshelby, the latter being a name that has been on the Ilkeston teamsheet in previous encounters between our two clubs. |
| As expected with Stant being an ex-Army man, he would've scared his charges into producing something at the start of the second half, and they didn't disappoint as they made City defend in depth to prevent a sniff of goal. On a rare City attack Neil Griffiths appeared to be bear hugged by the keeper as he tried to reclaim a cross that he'd just dropped, the referee though saw nothing amiss and City were denied. |
| With the Robins now pushing forward almost in a gung-ho fashion it became apparent that they'd leave themselves vulnerable to City's favoured counter attacking style, and with the amount of pace in the Tigers pack, that was a mistake on their part. Adam Hemming was the first to benefit as he found himself in acres of space and saw his unselfish cross cleared when a shot was probably the better option for the young wing back. |
As much as Ilkeston had pushed City back at the start of the half, it was now our turn and a Neil Mustoe corner smacked straight against the bar as the new Robins keeper again flapped at it. In the melee that followed Wilko got his head to it and was disappointed to see it cleared off the line.
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| Wilko made a run into the area, well, it was more of a trot really as he isn't exactly a gazelle and found his path blocked by a crude challenge, again it was deemed no foul and the game continued. Then Matt Bath's demons came back to haunt him as he missed a long free kick, but was happy to see his defence make up for his rick. |
| With just five bookings in the previous eight games, it took the gloss off a good performance when we had three players cautioned in a six minute spell. Adam Hemming was first, when on the hour mark he pulled the winger back as he cut in from the flank. Minutes later Tom Webb was punished when he was second player into a 49/51 ball and he was followed by Jimmy Cox who'd just seen his goal ruled out by a late offside flag. His card was for an overzealous attempt at closing down the defender. |
| In between the bookings Webb missed the first of his two great chances when his pace saw him past the last man, but as he cut in he opted for power instead of placement and arrowed his shot a good foot wide of the far post. Still with just a two goal advantage, Ilkeston began to press again began a period of pressure without really troubling the City stopper. |
| The Derbyshire side made their final substitution as a last throw of the dice, but it was for nothing as minutes later City made it three. Cox, this week the subject of a £10,000 bid from Bath City, got onto a lofted ball that looked as though it would originally find Webb, but when he got it under control he skipped around a defender and beat the keepers desperate hand to send the Tigers fans into raptures and the result beyond doubt. |
| As the home side were reeling again, Lee Smith was finding more space on the right and he put in Webby with just the keeper to beat. Sadly for Tom (and us), he spooned his shot well wide with his left foot. That boy needs to practice his shooting as he clearly has the midfield edge over Keith Knight. |
| With the game coming to a close, ex-Scummer Chris Freestone found space in the penalty area but was well denied by a brave dive at his feet by Matt Bath. This was followed by a series of dives by Ilkeston's left back David Jervis that former olympian Greg Louganis would've been proud of. His first was a comical horizontal dance after Cox had ruffled him attempting to win the ball then he went down holding his face like he'd been elbowed by Hosky. |
| It may well seem as though Hosky wasn't playing today, but he was and he reminded us at the end when he was just too slow to get on the end of Lee's low ball across the face of goal. Sad really because we were getting ready to sing TF's new Hosky song. A couple of half chances followed as Ilkeston finished the game as strongly as they'd started, although they'll be kicking themselves that they went to sleep for the seventy minutes in between. |
| It finished 3-0, although six wouldn't have flattered us and we now sit nicely in ninth place with plenty of games in hand and the top five looking over their shoulders as the Gloucester City Express goes full steam ahead. |
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